Because of family and business considerations I have recently been a very frequent flyer from DCA-STL-PIA and other destinations via STL using TWA Express.For awhile it looked like TWA Express had really gotten its act together at STL. It seems like at the time their contract was up with TWA they tried to improve and for awhile they did. Now i have been told they signed the contract and sure enough the service is getting pretty awful again. One of the worse stations seems to be PIA. On several days recently transiting STL the sun was out and the flight monitors showed everything on time, except TWA Express flights to a handful of central Illinois cities. This is the same old story over and over again. Does anyone else have this problem or what does TWA think of this arrangement? I just returned from a trip to the midwest and this time went AA via ORD. Everything went like clockwork. Any comments are appreciated.

Did you write to TWA and tell them this?
I do know that TWE is taking all pax comments to heart. So if you wrote them maybe something could be done (I know your saying but IM just one person, but hey its worth a shot)
And I have never flown on TWE yet, but I have heard they where normally on time.
If you do write TWE please tell us all what write back you get from them
Matt

The Express carriers out of STL are in flux at the moment. TWA is very unhappy with Trans States Airlines and has brought in Chautauqua Airlines with EMB-145's and Saab 340B's to replace some Trans States Airlines flights. Additionally, Command Airlines will br bringing in their leather interior and on time operation to swap out the Trans States airlines J31 fleet. This has already started and is due to continue throughout this year. Trans States will be operating some EMB-145's for the foreseeable future but, If they go on strike that too could change.

It is no secret that everyone hates Trans States Airlines... Suffice to say if you write TWA with your experiences it can help as Trans States is on preformanced based contract that docks them bing paid when they cannot/do not preform up to specification.

I personally havent flown TWE in a few months but I did notice right around when trans states contract was up for renewal last year the service was better than normal. Twe pulled their station out of BHM due to equipment retirements (J-31s) and not making enough money going head to head with southwest, but at the end the service was pretty poor. Does anyone know how long TWA's contract with trans states is? And what are the chances that it will not be renewed, are their any other regional carriers that are willing to take over twe's full operation?

I've flown 168,000 miles with TWA. Trans States is one helluva poor excuse for an airline. Their ATRs are forever plauged with maintenance problems and their flight attendants must be the snottiest bunch I've ever seen.

When I worked in MSN, I PRAYED that I would have a J41 flight. When I flew out of MLI, I went out of my way to make sure I caught the DC9.

Most of the complaints that I have heard about TWA have actually been about TWE. People don't understand that they are a different company. However, the lack of service that they receive on TWE turns a lot of people away from a great airline.

Maybe if some of the higher-ups had flown with them a couple of times, that contract renewal wouldn't have ever taken place.

I was out at CHS spotting today, and I got the chance to talk to the courtesy shuttle operator of a local hotel who ferries the TWE RJ crew to and from the hotel. He said the plane is never on time. It was about 20 minutes late today and that apparently was a miracle. The ERJ did look nice in TWA's colors though.

FWA a couple years back brought in a consulting firm to figure out how to retain local travellers that drove to nearby airports. One of the interesting conclusions had to do with TWE. The firm stated that FWA would actually be better off without TWE and that they should tell them to take a hike. The lousy equipment and unreliable service gave the airport a bad rep and contributed to pax going elsewhere. Interesting, eh?